Bedstead



Jan. 3l, w67 H. ALTORFER 3,300,794

BEDSTEAD Filed Aug. 24, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 3l, 1967 H. ALTORFER 3,300,794 v BEDSTEAD I Filed Aug. 24, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ov 3,300,794 j BEDSTEAD Hans Altorfer, Zurcherstrasse 19, Dietikon,

Zurich, Switzerland Filed Aug. 24, 1965, Ser. No. 482,249 Claims priority, application'Switzerland, Apr. 23, 1965, 5,815/ 65 2 Claims. (Cl. 5-68) Bedsteads with-adjustable hinged sections for supporting the head and feet are known. Among them. there are models in which levers serve for adjusting the movable sections, Awhich levers may be actuated by the patient or occupant. For persons, however, who are -v handicapped in their freedom `of movement by illness or inrmity or are too weak to actuate the levers, the bedsteads must be operated by another person.

This inconvenience can be obviated by the present invention in that the movable sections of a bedstead for supporting the head and yfeet are each settable into the desired position by a motor through a gearing and 4movement transmission members, for which purpose there is provided a hand-switch with two switching members, each thereof being selectively movable into two opposite switching positions from an intermediate position corresponding to the interrupting position,- which switching positions effect a forward or backward rotationof one or other of the motors, whereby, for limiting the end positions of the movable sections of the bedstead there are provided limit switches operable through the movement transmission members thereof.

The accompanying drawing shows by way of example one form of embodiment of the object of the invention designed as built-in bedstead.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the built-in bedstead, the movable sections in the lowered and, chain-dotted, in the raised position;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken on the line II-II of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the driving device with vertical section through the protective casing, yand FIG. 4 is a top view of the driving device which horizontal section through the protective casing.

Referring to the annexed drawing, the built-in bedstead shown comprises a base frame 5 supporting the sections 1-4. The base frame allows in known manner the built-in bedstead to be placed in a normal bedstead after removal of the usual lower mattress. The bedstead sections 1-4 consist of a tubular steel frame with layer of wooden laths or wire netting. The frame parts of the middle section 1 are rmly connected to the base frame by supporting sheet-irons 6. The Shanks of the tubular stirrup serving as movable section 2 are connected to each other by a stirrup-like transverse brace 5 and connected with their ends through hinges 8 to the tubes of the middle section 1. The foot section 3, 4 likewise forms a tubular stirrup, whose shanks 3, 4 may be set at angle by joints 9. The shank portions 4 are supported by a stirrup-like transverse brace 11. The shank ends of stirrup 3, 4 are connected through hinges 12 with the tubes of the middle section 1. In the lowered position the movable sections 2 and 3, 4 rest on stays 13 which are provided with rubber buffers and mounted on the base lfrarne 5. A rotary bar 14 journaled in the base frame 5 beneath the head section 2 carries on either side a lever arm 15 whose ends are swivably connected by pivot pins 16 with the stirrup shanks of the head section 2 by means of a link 17. Moreover, said rotary bar 14 has mounted thereon a lever arm 18 engaged by the jointed fork 19 of a driving push-and-pull rod 19.

Moving the driving rod 19 in the direction of the arrow ice , 1? rz causes the section 2 to swing upwards according to the arrow b, and-downwards in-,the reverse movement thereof. YA rotary bar 201j0urnaled in the base frame 5 below the footsectionrS, 4 carries on either side a lever arm 21 whose ends are each swivably .connectedby means of pivot pins 22 topart 4 v of the stirrup Shanks` of section 3 4 through a -link 23. A support 25, one each, connected at one end with the" lever arm 21 through a` joint bolt 24 and at the other end with vtheshanks 4 of the head section 3,l 4, serves to impart section 3, upon raising the foot section 3, 4, a positionpredominantly bent into the lhorizontalwith respectto section 4 A lever arm 26rigid with rotaryvbar 20 is swivably connected with` the jointed fork 27 o f the driving bar 27. Moving of the driving bar 2.7 in the directionVv of the arrowb causes the footsection vv3, 4 to rise, the return movement of 27 causing it to lower again.` i

Two electric motors 28 andy 29 with respective condensers 2,8, 29 (FIGS. 3 and 4), shrouded by a protective casing 30, serve for driving the sections 2 and 3, 4. The shaft of kelectriemotor 28 carries a pinion 31 which mesheswith a toothed wheel 32 of a' screw-spindle 35 iournaled in abearingextension 33 of a gearbox 34. Said screw-.spindle is `guided within a femade thread 36 of the driving rod 19.- Similarly, the shaft ofthe electric motor 29. carries afpinion 37 which engages a screw-spindle 41 journaled in a. bearing-extension 39 of va gearbox 40. Screw-spindle 41 is guided in a female thread 42 of the driving rod 27. Each of the driving rods 19, 27 has arranged thereon a carrier 43 and 46 respectivelyI with switching tongues 44, 45 and 47, 48. The switching tongues 44, 45 of driving rod 19 cooperate with limit switches 49, 50, and the switching tongues 48, 48 of driving rod 27 with limit switches 51, 52. The gearboxes 34 and 40 respectively connected to motor-s 28 and 29, are swingably supported on axles 53 and 54 within protectlve casing 30.

A current supply cable 55, connected to motors 28, 29 and allocated condensers 28', 29', is joined to a double switch (not shown) whose two switching members interrupt the current circuit in their intermediate position, whereas in one switching position they cause the motor to rotate forwards, and in the other switching position baelcwards. But the motor only runs so long as the swklltchmg member is pressed into one position or the ot er.

In the intermediate position of the switching member the motor stands still, also upon engagement of one of the switching tongues 44, 55 and 47, 48 respectively with a limit switch 49, 40 and 51, 52.

"Ihe double switch with its two preferably juxtaposed switching members is readily operable with a :finger of the hand holding the switch. By pressing one switching member forwards or backwards, the head section 2 is raised or lowered, whereas pressing the other switching member forwards or backwards causes the foot section 3, 4 to be raised or lowered as long as the switching member is under finger pressure of the hand holding the switch. On releasing the switching member or upon engagement of a switching tongue with a limit switch, the respective driving motor is stopped. Engagement of a switching tongue with a limit switch takes place whenever the head or foot section reaches its limit position after being raised or lowered.

What I claim is:

1. A bed member for insertion into and support by a bedstead, comprising:

(a) a generally rectangular rigid lower frame mountable on said bedstead;

(b) a generally rectangular upper frame substantially coextensive with said lower` frame and including an intermediate section parallel to said lower frame and rigidly secured thereto, la head section pivotally connected with said intermediate section and forming one end of said upper frame, and an articulated foot section pivotally connected to said intermediate section and forming the other end of said upper frame;

(c) rst and second link mechanisms respectively disposed on opposite sides of said intermediate section while being pivotally mounted on said lower frame and connected respectively with said head and foot sections for swinging them selectively out of the plane of said upper frame to adjust the position of a person lying upon said bed member;

(d) housing means on said lower frame below said intermediate section and between said rst and secp ond link mechanism;

(e) first and second reversible electromotor means pivotally mounted in said housing means :and provided with respective threaded spindles extending toward said rst and second link mechanisms from the respective electromotor means, said electromotor means being laterally offset within said housing means with each electromotor means being disposed at a side of the housing means opposite that at l'which l the respective link mechanism is provided;

(f) respective .threaded bushings each connected to one of said link mechanisms and threadedly receiving a respective one of said spindles; and

(g) hand-operable switch means including a pair of operating members respectively associated with said first `and second electromotor means, said operating members earch having an intermediate position and a pair of operative positions for rotation of the respective electromotor means selectively in `opposite senses. Y v v 2. A bed member as defined in claim 1 wherein said scoriesv link mechanisms each include a respective rotary bar journaled on said lower frame at opposite sides of said housing means, lever arms connecting the respective rotary bar with the respective pivotal section of said upper frame, and respective further arms connected to said rotary bars and provided with respective drive rods carrying thel respective threaded bushings; said bed member further cornprising:

(h) limit switch means in circuit with the respective electromotor means for termin-ating the operation thereof upon pivotal movement of the respective section to raised and lowered limiting positions thereof;

(i) a carrier respectively provided on each of said rods and having switching tongues operatively engageable with the respective limit switch means upon the pivotal sections attaining the respective limiting positions; and

(j) resilient buffers mounted upon said lower frame at each end thereof and engageable respectively with said head and foot sections upon the lowering thereof to cushion the lowering of said head and foot sections.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,481,477 9/1949 Peery 5-68 X 2,856,613 lil/1958 Mendelko .et Val 5-68 2,913,300 l1/1959 Darnelly et al. 5-68 2,988,758 6/1961 Donaldson 5-68 3,032,059 5/1962 McLeod 5-67 X 3,198,891 8/1965 Burst et al. 5-68 X FRANKB. SHERRY, Primary Examiner.

CASMIR A. NUNBERG, Examiner. 

1. A BED MEMBER FOR INSERTION INTO AND SUPPORT BY A BEDSTEAD, COMPRISING: (A) A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR RIGID LOWER FRAME MOUNTABLE ON SAID BEDSTEAD; (B) A GENERALLY RECTANGULAR UPPER FRAME SUBSTANTIALLY COEXTENSIVE WITH SAID LOWER FRAME AND INCLUDING AN INTERMEDIATE SECTION PARALLEL TO SAID LOWER FRAME AND RIGIDLY SECURED THERETO, A HEAD SECTION PIVOTALLY CONNECTED WITH SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION AND FORMING ONE END OF SAID UPPER FRAME, AND AN ARTICULATED FOOT SECTION PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION AND FORMING THE OTHER END OF SAID UPPER FRAME; (C) FIRST AND SECOND LINK MECHANISMS RESPECTIVELY DISPOSED ON OPPOSITE SIDES OF SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION WHILE BEING PIVOTALLY MOUNTED ON SAID LOWER FRAME AND CONNECTED RESPECTIVELY WITH SAID HEAD AND FOOT SECTIONS FOR SWINGING THEM SELECTIVELY OUT OF THE PLANE OF SAID UPPER FRAME TO ADJUST THE POSITION OF A PERSON LYING UPON SAID BED MEMBER; (D) HOUSING MEANS ON SAID LOWER FRAME BELOW SAID INTERMEDIATE SECTION AND BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND SECOND LINK MECHANISM; (E) FIRST AND SECOND REVERSIBLE ELECTROMOTOR MEANS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING MEANS AND PROVIDED WITH RESPECTIVE THREADED SPINDLES EXTENDING TOWARD SAID FIRST AND SECOND LINK MECHANISMS FROM THE RESPECTIVE ELECTROMOTOR MEANS, SAID ELECTROMOTOR MEANS BEING LATERALLY OFFSET WITHIN SAID HOUSING MEANS WITH EACH ELECTROMOTOR MEANS BEING DISPOSED AT A SIDE OF THE HOUSING MEANS OPPOSITE THAT AT WHICH THE RESPECTIVE LINK MECHANISM IS PROVIDED; (F) RESPECTIVE THREADED BUSHINGS EACH CONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID LINK MECHANISMS AND THREADEDLY RECEIVING A RESPECTIVE ONE OF SAID SPINDLES; AND (G) HAND-OPERABLE SWITCH MEANS INCLUDING A PAIR OF OPERATING MEMBERS RESPECTIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID FIRST AND SECOND ELECTROMOTOR MEANS, SAID OPERATING MEMBERS EACH HAVING AN INTERMEDIATE POSITION AND A PAIR OF OPERATIVE POSITIONS FOR ROTATION OF THE RESPECTIVE ELECTROMOTOR MEANS SELECTIVELY IN OPPOSITE SENSES. 